Choriocarcinoma During Pregnancy

Updated: September 16, 2014

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This rare post-pregnancy cancer responds well to chemotherapy drugs and has excellent recovery rates.

What it is

Choriocarcinoma is an extremely rare form of cancer related to pregnancy that grows from the cells of the placenta. This malignancy most often occurs after a molar pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy, when any left-behind placental tissues continue to grow despite the absence of a fetus. Only 15 percent of choriocarcinomas occur after a normal pregnancy.

How common is it?

Luckily, it's not very common at all. Choriocarcinoma occurs in one out of every 40,000 pregnancies.

Who is most at risk?

Choriocarcinoma is most often found in women over the age of 40 and those who have had a molar pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms to watch out for include continued vaginal bleeding after a molar pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy, abnormal tissue discharge, abdominal pain, or hCG levels that do not return to normal after a pregnancy has ended.

Should you be concerned?

While any type of cancer carries with it some risk, choriocarcinoma responds extremely well to chemotherapy and radiation treatments and has a cure rate of more than 90 percent. More good news: Hysterectomy is almost never necessary because of this type of tumor's excellent response to chemotherapy drugs.

What you can do

If you've had an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or a molar pregnancy, be sure to see your practitioner for regular follow-up visits to make sure you are healing properly. And call your practitioner if you experience any symptoms listed above within a year of the end of your pregnancy.